Cats go 8-0, best since '75 and '76

The Columbia Falls football team finished the season perfect last week, matching the 8-0 records the Wildcats posted in 1975 and1976.

The Wildcats hammered Polson Oct. 25 at home 42-5 on a perfect night for football, with little wind and clear skies. The win also gave the team the Northwest A conference crown.

The Cats scored early and often on the Pirates. Alex Presnell caught a 37-yard pass from quarterback Jared Trinastich to put the Cats up at the 9:46 mark on the first quarter. Polson answered with a drive into the Cats red zone, but had to settle for a 27-yard field goal to make it 7-3. But then Columbia Falls rattled off 28 unanswered points and it was a blowout by halftime.

Trevor Houston and Ty Morgan each caught touchdown passes and running back Zach Darling caught fire, with two rushing touchdowns.

The Cats defense was also stellar. Presnell picked off a Polson pass at the 7:04 mark of the second quarter on the Pirate 32 yard line that would later lead to Morgan’s touchdown. Then Justice McManus picked off Polson again and ran it back to the Pirate 37-yard line. Morgan caught a nice pass to take it to the 5-yard line and Darling rumbled in to make it 35-3 at the half.

The only mistake the Cats made was a safety in the third quarter. The team had a let down after Josiah Osborne broke his leg after a collision on the sideline breaking up a Polson pass. Osborne is out for the season.

But the Cats regrouped and Presnell caught a 14-yard pass from Trinastich to make it 42-5. The mercy rule went into effect in the fourth quarter and the game ended quietly after that. Under the rule, the clock doesn’t stop unless a timeout is called.

There was a cool aspect to the last point of the game. Maddy Snyder — a freshman girl who didn’t make the soccer team — kicked the Cats last extra point. Presnell was perfect for extra point attempts prior to that.

All told, the Cats racked up 477 yards of total offense — 190 on the ground, 287 in the air.

The defense held Polson to 212 total yards, 136 rushing and just 76 passing, Darling rushed for 170 yards — 90 in the first half.

Trinastich was 16 of 22 passing with four touchdown strikes.

Coach Jackson Schweikert was proud of the team’s performance.

He said at the beginning of the season the coaching staff sat down with the kids and said if they follow the process, they could beat every team — with a little luck — in the regular season.

They did just that.

Now the Cats have a first-round bye in the playoffs and then face the winner of the Havre-Miles City game at home on Nov. 9. If they win that game, they will travel for the next game — likely to Hamilton or Billings Central, unless Polson can pull off what would be a major upset. Central is ranked No. 2 in the state.

The Rams have lost just one game this year — a drubbing by top-ranked Dillon earlier this season. The Cats are ranked No. 3 in the state. If the Cats make it to the state championship, they will host the game in Columbia Falls.

Polson 3 0 2 0 – 5

C. Falls 14 21 7 0 – 42

C – Alex Presnell 37 pass from Jared Trinastich (Presnell kick)

P – Brady Hislop 27 field goal

C – Trevor Houston 8 pass from Trinastich (Presnell kick)

C – Zach Darling 1 run (Presnell kick)

C – Ty Morgan 3 pass from Trinastich (Presnell kick)

C – Darling 5 run (Presnell kick)

P – Columbia Falls safety

C – Presnell 14 pass from Trinastich (Maddy Snyder kick)